Tabbu Iddrisi lost out on all her part-time jobs as a music teacher and singer in the first wave. "But I continued to brush up my skills and give online music tuitions . One day, I read about an audition being conducted for the Street Theatre and Performance Fellowship 2019-20. I applied and got selected. This fellowship opened up so many opportunities for me to showcase my talent, and I get paid Rs 5,000 a month now," adds the 26-year-old, an Ambedkar Nagar resident.
On the eve of Independence Day (August 14), she will perform with the Abhinay Arambh Group in Alaknanda market at 5pm.
"I mainly sing songs to promote COVID vaccination. The lyrics are provided by the Delhi government's art and culture department, and I compose the music for it. For Independence Day, I will also perform a few traditional patriotic songs. I feel nukkad nataks are a good way to educate the illiterate and the marginalised about the current situation in the country," she says.
It was Iddrisi’s father, a tailor by profession, who first noticed her inclination towards music. “By the time I was in Class 5, I used to sing along to all the songs played on the radio at home. My father, who is also fond of music, enrolled me for singing classes by renowned vocalist Sanghamitra Chakraborty. I learnt music from her for 10 years,” adds Iddrisi, who mostly sings Hindustani Classical songs.
In 2012, she began performing with a band at five-star hotels and live stage shows. One day in 2014, while performing in a hotel, she got a job offer from the St Columbus School principal to teach at the school. "Till then, I thought singing was only reserved for performances and stage shows. I decided to impart my knowledge with this job, and went on to teach in various schools," adds the big Lata Mangeshkar fan.
Iddrisi has the strong support of her immediate family, but is often mocked for her choice of profession by relatives back home in Uttar Pradesh. "They have a narrow mentality, but I don’t let their comments affect me," she says.
Armed with a Master's in Commerce, she is now pursuing an MA in Music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, and dreams of becoming a successful playback singer. "I want to set up my own studio and music institution somebody," she signs off.
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On the eve of Independence Day (August 14), Iddrisi will perform with the Abhinay Arambh Group in Alaknanda market at 5pm